Made In Hollywood

"I've seen several films you starred in."

After a brief pause, Duke said, "Mary, your acting still has room for improvement, and there's potential that can be tapped. You shouldn't limit yourself to being just a pretty face."

If this had come from an ordinary person, Nicole Kidman would have dismissed it. However, since it was spoken by a director who had long proven his capabilities, she acknowledged Duke's words from deep within her heart. No actress wants to be just a pretty face, especially when she has many dreams and ambitions to fulfill.

"I've heard about that," Duke subtly raised her expectations. "You have excellent singing and dancing skills, right?"

"Yes!" Nicole Kidman smiled, sensing that the young director seemed to appreciate her.

Seeing Nicole's cold, elegant face break into an increasingly radiant smile, Duke suddenly changed the subject. "To be honest, Mary, you're outstanding, but I believe you're not suitable for appearing in 'Chicago.'"

Her smile instantly froze, turning into ice on her beautiful face. Nicole looked at Duke, remaining silent for a long time before suddenly asking, "What do you want, Duke?"

"No, Mary, you misunderstood." Duke quickly waved his hand, explaining, "I meant no offense; I just think you shouldn't appear in the same film as Cruise."

"What?"

At that moment, Nicole Kidman was like a chameleon, her icy demeanor transforming into confusion.

"Have you not noticed, Mary?" Duke gradually took control of the conversation. "Aside from your film 'Days of Thunder,' where you and Tom have not officially established a relationship, none of the films you've collaborated on have truly succeeded commercially."

After recalling this, Nicole nodded, "That's true."

Duke picked up his cup and took a sip of water. "Hollywood may not have tallied it yet, but it's not just you. In fact, all couples or married actor duos appearing together in films tend to lead to failure."

Nicole was still pondering this, so Duke continued, "You know I pay a lot of attention to the market. My company has conducted a survey, and most viewers dislike seeing actors with close real-life relationships interacting too much on screen. They feel it's easy to break immersion and only think about the actors' real-life relationships, making it hard to connect with the characters."

"So, I'm already out of the running without even attending the second audition?" Nicole raised her eyebrows.

"I don't want to deceive you, Mary." Duke directly admitted. "You won't pass the second audition."

What he had just said was one reason. It wouldn't take long for all of Hollywood to reach a consensus that having couples on-screen was commercially detrimental.

On another note, Nicole Kidman had never won the favor of North American audiences, both in the past and present. This was a chronic issue that was hard to pinpoint. In her previous life, aside from the few years immediately after her divorce from Tom Cruise, during which she had some success due to the audience's sympathy, she had more films that were box-office failures than successes.

Some might think she had poor taste in selecting scripts, and that was partly true. However, her agent had always been the renowned Pat Kingsley, known for her keen insight. With Kingsley's support, Nicole still faced numerous flops, which indicated that it was not merely a matter of choice.

Throughout Hollywood history, Nicole Kidman could be considered one of the top actresses with the most disproportionate salary to box office returns. Eventually, she was forced to take on villain roles in films and frequently mentioned Tom Cruise in interviews to maintain her exposure.

"Isn't there any other way?" Nicole's eyes flashed with unwillingness.

Duke slowly shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, he is Tom Cruise. And you, Mary…"

"Am I just Mrs. Cruise?" Nicole interrupted Duke, her tone filled with self-deprecation. "Just a byproduct relying on Tom Cruise to stand in Hollywood?"

"I didn't mean that."

Seeing she completely misunderstood him, Duke had to clarify, "What I mean is, you don't need to be in the same movie or similar situations with Tom. That would only harm you."

Nicole appeared to contemplate this before slowly nodding her head.

A few minutes later, Pat Kingsley and Nancy Josephson returned to the restaurant, shook hands with Duke, and exchanged a few words with Pat. Nicole Kidman was the first to excuse herself and leave.

As she drove her red sports car toward Beverly Hills, her conversation with Duke kept replaying in her mind. Coupled with her ongoing conflicts with Tom Cruise and her recent career setbacks, her growing dissatisfaction had been ignited.

Upon returning to her luxurious home in Beverly Hills, Nicole parked her car and hurried into the villa. Her already pale face now resembled the ice of Antarctica, giving off an air of coldness just from being seen.

Soon, the villa echoed with the sounds of a heated discussion between Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman regarding Scientology, an Australian hotel, and Mel Gibson, which escalated to a fierce argument.

"What did you talk to Nicole Kidman about?"

In a car heading towards Malibu, Nancy Josephson curiously asked Duke, "She looked unwell when she left."

"I just advised her to give up on the audition."

Seeing Nancy's skeptical expression, Duke shrugged and turned the steering wheel as they turned onto Pacific Coast Highway. "When did you buy a house in Malibu?"

"I think I should live closer to my most important client," Nancy replied half-jokingly, "to enhance our relationship."

"Don't worry, generally speaking, I won't change agents."

Since signing the agency contract, Duke had been quite satisfied with Nancy Josephson overall. "Without you, who would shield me from CAA's arrows?"

Nancy smiled and playfully tapped Duke's arm. She suddenly asked, "Was there any obstruction from Martin Bob when Tom Cruise signed on for your movie?"

"As far as I know, Pat Kingsley seems to be getting closer to Eno Martin."

As they exited the Malibu city area, Duke slightly increased his speed and continued the previous topic. "If they join forces, they should have the power to oppose Martin Bob."

"Tom Cruise's main agent is Kingsley, and Hank's main agent is Eno Martin. Spielberg has also maintained some distance from Martin Bob since Ovitz exited the talent agency business," Nancy shared some insights on their competitors. "The biggest stars and directors at CAA are staying away from Martin Bob, so times are tough for him."

Glancing back at the car following them, Nancy added, "Martin Bob's most prominent client now is Mel Gibson, who has been severely suppressed by you. I've heard he's planning to poach Will Smith."

"Will Smith?"

Upon hearing Duke's question, Nancy explained, "Will Smith has maintained the performance style from 'Independence Day,' and he just collaborated with Michael Bay, who's been dubbed 'Duke II,' on 'Bad Boys.' Although that film's box office can't compare to 'Independence Day,' it's relatively successful. Despite his poor acting, he's gained recognition in the industry for his contributions to Black comedy."

Duke pondered for a moment and asked, "Aren't you and ICM considering recruiting him?"

"You guessed it." Nancy adjusted her seatbelt. "Right now, Will Smith is in high demand, and CAA is at a weaker point. It's not just me and ICM; William Morris has joined the competition as well."

She turned to Duke, "Do you have any projects suitable for him? If he could work with you, I believe he would join ICM."

Fearing that Duke might not care, Nancy added, "This is a good opportunity to strike at CAA and Martin Bob."

Duke frowned; his film schedule was already booked until 2003, and he didn't have a prominent role suitable for Will Smith. He could only shake his head.

"Really none?" Nancy wasn't ready to give up.

"You've seen my scripts and character outlines," Duke said helplessly. "If Smith doesn't mind playing a half-orc or a strong beastman, I can find a suitable role for him."

He had no intention of going down the comedy route, and his upcoming films required strong performances. Having someone like Will Smith, who had a hip-hop style, would be a total disaster.

The car stopped in front of a villa in a coastal community. Nancy unbuckled her seatbelt and, just before getting out, said, "Duke, with the second audition coming up, please prioritize ICM's actors if possible."

"I will definitely prioritize ICM's actors, as long as their quality isn't too far off," Duke understood the underlying message in Nancy's words. "I know you value Naomi Watts, and I owe her a favor. I've heard she's been working hard; I trust she won't let me down."

"Then I can rest easy."

Nancy got out of the car, and Tina Fey, who had parked behind her, approached and got into the passenger seat. The black Bentley drove toward the nearby luxury villa area.

Now, Tina Fey had completely become Duke's personal assistant. Since Duke often worked late into the night writing scripts and handling other matters, he would usually stay at the coastal estate he named 'Duke.' In the villa, he had a suite that included an office.

Duke's current focus was on the upcoming auditions for the two female leads.

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